Watch more of Anderson Cooper's interview with Donald Sterling on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Cooper will also speak to Magic Johnson.

(CNN) -- Why did Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling take so long to say he's sorry for the racist remarks that got him banned from the NBA?

Magic Johnson, he claims, told him to stay quiet.

"Wait, be patient, I'll help you, we'll work it out," Sterling said the NBA legend told him.

In an exclusive interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Sterling spoke publicly for the first time since a controversial audio recording of him sparked a firestorm and put his ownership of the Clippers in jeopardy.

He repeatedly apologized and denied accusations that he's racist, claiming he'd been "baited" into making what he called "terrible" remarks. But while he defended himself for much of the interview, he went on the offensive when Johnson's name came up.

Sterling: I'm so sorry, I'm so apologetic

Sterling: 'I'm asking for forgiveness'

Sterling: 'I'm asking for forgiveness'

Ex-NBAer: 'Baited' comment is a joke

Sterling's possible excuse: I wanted sex

Sterling, 80, slammed the former Los Angeles Lakers player's character and his battle with HIV, saying Johnson hasn't done anything to help others.

"What kind of a guy goes to every city, has sex with every girl, then he catches HIV? Is that someone we want to respect and tell our kids about?" Sterling asked. "I think he should be ashamed of himself. I think he should go into the background. But what does he do for the black people? He doesn't do anything."

Johnson has been a central figure in the controversy since the recording of Sterling speaking with friend V. Stiviano surfaced last month on TMZ.

In the recording, which drew widespread condemnation from fans, players and the league, Sterling chastises Stiviano for posting pictures online of her posing with African-Americans, including Johnson. He tells her not to bring Johnson to Clippers games.

"Admire him, bring him here, feed him, f**k him, but don't put (Magic) on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me," he said.

As criticism over the recording spread, Johnson was among the first to say that Sterling should be forced to sell the team.

Now, as Sterling faces a lifetime ban from the National Basketball Association, a $2.5 million fine for the remarks and the possibility that fellow NBA owners could force him to sell the team he's owned for more than 30 years, he claims Johnson is angling for control of the Clippers.

Sterling said that he waited so long to apologize about the recording because Johnson, who led the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships, called him and told him to remain silent.

Sterling, who is Jewish, said Jewish people spend great amounts of money helping other Jews who are poor while rich black people turn their backs to people in need.

"That's one problem I have. Jews, when they get successful, they will help their people, and some of the African-Americans -- maybe I'll get in trouble again -- they don't want to help anybody," he said.

Cooper asked, "So are you saying that African-Americans don't contribute to African-American communities as much as Jewish people --"

Sterling -- measured for much of the interview -- cut Cooper off and snapped back.

"There's no African-American --," he said, raising his voice. "Never mind, I don't know, I'm sorry. You know, they all want to play golf with me. Everybody wants to be with me. I'm easy. I'm fun."

In a series of Twitter posts after the interview aired, Johnson fired back, but he didn't respond to the specific allegations.

"I'd rather be talking about these great NBA Playoffs than Donald Sterling's interview," he said.

"After this week, no more Sterling talk. Just the NBA Playoffs," he said in another post.

Johnson's 1991 revelation that he was HIV-positive shocked the sports world. The athlete has drawn accolades for his openness about the illness and his push to help fight it. He's the founder of the Magic Johnson Foundation, which has raised millions for HIV/AIDS awareness.

It also provides funds for testing and treatment as well as scholarships and mentoring for minority students.

As chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, Johnson has invested extensively, with the company describing its mission on its website as being "a catalyst for and fostering community/economic empowerment" in "ethnically diverse urban communities."

NBA Commissioner: Sterling's comments on Johnson 'malicious'

After a recording of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling making racist remarks was released in April 2014, he was fined and banned from NBA games for life. But he's not the only well-known figure who has served as a lighting rod for discussion on race and identity.

The Washington Redskins team name and logo got heightened visibility when President Barack Obama and high-profile sportscasters Bob Costas and Christine Brennan spoke out against it in 2013. Team owner Dan Snyder insists the team's name is part of a tradition and is "not an issue."

Rancher Cliven Bundy made news in 2014 for his battle with the federal government and his comments that implied blacks would have been better off in slavery. In an interview with CNN's "New Day," he said he is not a racist.

TV personality and chef Paula Deen lost her sponsors and her Food Network show in 2013 after she admitted to use of the "n-word" and botched an apology. A racial discrimination charge against her was later dropped, and she is in the midst of a comeback, as she continues to spur controversy with her comments.

Actor LL Cool J and musician Brad Paisley collaborated on the song "Accidental Racist" that was largely panned by critics for being too simplistic in how it discussed American racial history.

Protesters hold signs in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on October 10, 2012, ahead of the high court's hearing of arguments on Fisher V. University of Texas at Austin. In 2013, the court ruled on the constitutionality of the school's consideration of race in admissions.

Miley Cyrus made twerking a household term after her controversial performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards with Robin Thicke. Critics accused her of appropriating hip-hop culture and outraged parents whose children once knew her for her kid-friendly Hannah Montana character.

Nina Davuluri became the first winner of Indian descent when she won the 2014 Miss America Competition and drew headlines when her win spurred racist reactions online.

Sebastien De La Cruz, known as San Antonio's Little Mariachi, sang the national anthem before an NBA finals game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat in 2013. When some questioned his citizenship and mariachi outfit, it sparked defense of the young singer from notables such as actress Eva Longoria.

In 2013, stop-and-frisk became a major issue in the New York mayoral campaign, and additional discussion was prompted with the George Zimmerman trial and movies such as "Fruitvale Station" that highlighted the issue.

In July 2013, George Zimmerman was acquitted in the killing of Trayvon Martin, sparking outrage in response to the verdict and later for a juror getting a book deal to discuss the case. After backlash, the book offer was revoked.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American and Jesuit pontiff, has opened up discussion about identity, equality and faith with his comments and actions.

In a highly publicized move, Sasheer Zamata was hired as a performer on "Saturday Night Live" in early 2014 after an outcry about the show's lack of diversity and not having a black female cast member in six years.

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

Stories that sparked discussions on race

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In the news: A conversation about race

Atlanta Hawks controlling owner Bruce Levenson announced he will sell the team in light of an offensive email he sent. Levenson is not the first sports team owner to face the consequences of his actions:

The NBA's suspension and $2.5-million fine for Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling sent shockwaves through the sports world.

Bleacher Report has dubbed Mark Cuban the "King of NBA fines. The notoriously vocal Dallas Mavericks owner has been forced to pay more than $1.8 million in fines since he bought the team in 2000, many of them for colorful language and criticism of referees.

Former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott was suspended from Major League Baseball in 1993 and 1996 for several controversial comments, among them racial epithets against players. In a 1996 interview, she said this about Adolf Hitler: "Everybody knows that he was good at the beginning, but he just went too far." She was forced to sell her controlling interest of the Reds in 1999.

Before the announcement about Sterling's suspension, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor was the only owner suspended in the NBA in 68 years. The league suspended Taylor in 2000 for a season after the Timberwolves made a secret deal with a star player to circumvent salary cap rules. Now, Taylor is chairman of the NBA board of governors, which Commissioner Adam Silver has asked to vote on stripping Sterling's ownership of the Clippers.

The NFL suspended San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. for his role in a racketeering scandal tied to riverboat casino licenses. DeBartolo pleaded guilty in 1998 to felony charges of failing to report an extortion case, according to Bleacher Report. By 2000 he was forced to cede control of the team to his sister.

As former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt's bitter divorce became a cloud over the franchise, his financial turmoil forced Major League Baseball to take over the day-to-day operations of the team in 2011. League Commissioner Bud Selig accused McCourt of "looting" the club of $190 million to fund an extravagant lifestyle. McCourt filed for bankruptcy later that year. During bankruptcy proceedings, McCourt agreed to sell the team under a bidding process.

The late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was suspended from baseball for making illegal campaign contributions to Richard Nixon in 1974. He was banned for life in 1990 after paying a gambler $40,000 to get damaging information about a player, but Major League Baseball reinstated him three years later.

The NBA said Miami Heat owner Micky Arison had been fined in 2011 for posting about the league's collective bargaining process on Twitter. The amount of the fine was not disclosed, but several media reports said it was $500,000.

The NBA slapped Aubrey McClendon, partial owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder, with a $250,000 fine in 2007 after he told an Oklahoma newspaper that he hoped to move the team, then known as the Seattle SuperSonics, to Oklahoma.

The NBA fined former Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss $25,000 and suspended him for two games in 2007 after his conviction on a misdemeanor drunk driving charge. Buss died in 2013.

The outspoken CNN founder and former Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner was suspended for a year in 1977 for negotiating a deal with a player who was under contract to play for the San Francisco Giants.

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

Team owners behaving badly

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Team owners behaving badly

Even as Sterling repeatedly said he is sorry, many appeared unconvinced after the interview, pointing particularly to his comments about Johnson.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he'd read a transcript of the interview.

"While Magic Johnson doesn't need me to, I feel compelled on behalf of the NBA family to apologize to him that he continues to be dragged into this situation and be degraded by such a malicious and personal attack," Silver said in a statement. "The NBA Board of Governors is continuing with its process to remove Mr. Sterling as expeditiously as possible."

In a conference call, Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said of Sterling's comments, "That doesn't sound like much of an apology to me."

"This attack on Magic is crazy," filmmaker Spike Lee told Cooper after the interview. "He's messing with the wrong brother. Magic is loved by everybody around the world. And the talk about some other stuff that has nothing to do with nothing is ridiculous."

And Sterling's comments about Johnson surprised several NBA players who spoke with CNN's Rachel Nichols on Monday.

"The biggest shock waves from players that I talked to today, they said, 'Wait a minute, he insulted Magic Johnson again? He did that again?' They can't believe that," Nichols said. "As far as they are concerned, that is a final straw."

The timing of Sterling's apology drew criticism from the Clippers' interim CEO.

"I would observe, as most Americans I think would observe, that he's a little late, for sure," said Dick Parsons, a former chairman of Citigroup and Time Warner who was tapped by the NBA to be the team's interim CEO last week. "But beyond that, I'm here to help turn one of the burners off under the pot, not to turn it up higher. So I think I'll keep my personal views personal."

Still, Sterling said he thinks his players, whom he cannot contact anymore because he is banned from team functions and operations, love him.

"Absolutely! They know I'm not a racist -- and I'm not a racist," he said.

Sterling's relationship with Stiviano

Sterling blamed Stiviano for "baiting" him into saying the racist remarks on the recordings -- comments he said he had no idea were being recorded. But he said he is not sure why she did it, because she didn't blackmail him. In fact, he believes she is a "good person."

When asked if he had an intimate relationship with Stiviano, 31 and nearly 50 years younger than Sterling, he declined to answer.

"I don't think a gentleman should discuss any of the personal items that go on with a woman," he said.

Stiviano told ABC that she was a friend and confidant to Sterling but they didn't have a sexual relationship.

Sterling's estranged wife, Shelly, believes they did and is suing Stiviano to get back more than $2 million in gifts her husband gave his friend.

Donald Sterling said Stiviano made him jealous by saying she was going to bring four handsome black football players to a Clippers game with her, prompting the now-infamous racist rant.

"I was a little jealous," he said, adding that he was referring to the players when he said, "Don't bring them to the game."

Awaiting the NBA's next move

Sterling, a lawyer and billionaire real estate investor, wouldn't tell CNN if he will sue the NBA if his fellow owners vote to force him to sell the team.

Even though Silver has said he wants the other teams to vote the Clippers owner out, Sterling said he doesn't think the other 29 owners would do it.

The league's finance committee is to meet this week to take another step toward the forced sale.

If the case proceeds to a full vote, 75% of the owners would have to approve it.

However, an attorney for Shelly Sterling told CNN Friday that she wants to keep her 50% stake in the team.

"She wants to remain a passive owner," said attorney Pierce O'Donnell. "She's not going to want to manage the team. She's going to want a very skilled, professional, well-heeled new owner to come in and replace Donald," O'Donnell said. "She only wants to own the team in her lifetime. She's 79 years old. At this point, she's earned it. She's been an owner for 33 years, and she's an avid fan."

In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Shelly Sterling said she was prepared to fight any attempt by the NBA to take away her stake in the team.

"I will fight that decision," she told ABC's Barbara Walters. "To be honest with you, I'm wondering if a wife of one of the owners, and there's 30 owners, did something like that, said those racial slurs, would they oust the husband? Or would they leave the husband in?"

NBA spokesman Mark Bass said in a statement after the ABC interview aired that what happens if the owners vote for a forced sale is already spelled out in the NBA Constitution.

"Under the NBA Constitution, if a controlling owner's interest is terminated by a 3/4 vote, all other team owners' interests are automatically terminated as well. It doesn't matter whether the owners are related as is the case here," he said. "These are the rules to which all NBA owners agreed to as a condition of owning their team."

Donald Sterling told CNN's Cooper that since he hasn't been ordered to sell, it wasn't worth discussing.

"We aren't there yet so why should I address that issue? I don't want to fight with my partners," he said. "We all do what we have to do. I love them and I respect them. Whatever their decision is with regard to my terrible words, then I have to do it, I think."